The Definition of Justice
by AADale
Summary: A look at the events that changed Tousen's life


The Definition of Justice

A look at the events that changed Tousen's life

/

Disclaimer - same as always.

/

The meeting hall of Central 46 was not open to spectators. Other than the forty-six officers themselves and the security detail of the Stealth Squad, only petitioners, those accused of crimes, and witnesses were permitted inside the facility. This was the most important building in Seireitei. This was where decisions were made that affected billions of souls.

Kaname Tousen was in the meeting hall for the first time. There were few civilians who had ever seen the inside of the hall. Tousen didn't _see_ it, of course - he was blind from birth. He could feel the bigness of the hall, though, and smell the perfumed nobles and ancient dust. He could also feel the spiritual energy of the people in the room. He felt the righteous indignation of the judges as they returned from their conference. He felt the desperation of Tsuneo Sato, the man Tousen was there to testify against, the man who had killed his best friend. Beyond that, he paid no attention to the attendees.

Tousen's testimony hadn't been called for. Captain Soi Fon had prepared him for that possibility. She said that the case against Sato was solid even without his testimony. But Tousen wasn't going to risk the chance of this criminal going free, and had attended the trial just to be sure. He felt the energy from the lead judge as he took to the podium and felt confident that justice would be served.

"Tsuneo Sato of the Eighth Division, we have reviewed the evidence in your case and we find you guilty of the murder of your wife Misoka. You have disgraced your division by your actions. It is not the policy of Soul Society to execute those convicted of murder, although some among us sought to make an exception in this case, due to the brutality of this killing. You are to be imprisoned for the remainder of your existence. Take him away."

"I am not guilty!" Sato shouted. "Sirs, have mercy on me! Please, I did not commit this crime!" Tousen listened with satisfaction as the guards roughly dragged him from the room.

Misoka was gone, he knew. But the knowledge that her murderer would never see freedom again gave him some comfort. He thought of all the conversations the two of them had had about duty, justice, and mercy, and for the life of him he could not even remember what mercy felt like.

/

Four days had passed. Tousen had returned to his village in West Rukongai, where he had lived before meeting Misoka and moving to follow her. He had regained a sense of equilibrium in the past few days. He even had new insights into his feelings for Misoka. He wished he could share them with her.

This was a farming village, and he was happy to be back and smell the soil and the fresh air. Life in the Seireitei (or rather, just outside the Seireitei, for as a civilian he wasn't able to live within the walls of the place) was never quite as comfortable. He had a reputation here as a hard worker and knew that he could find employment in a matter of days. For the time being he was living with a family near the center of the village. He looked forward to working again.

_What_ – he froze. He could feel a spiritual pressure approaching the village. It was one he would have recognized anywhere. But it was impossible.

He felt the energy of the man who had killed his friend as he approached. He heard the door slide open, and a moment later Tsuneo Sato stood before him.

Tousen would remember the conversation for the rest of his life, but he could never recall if he'd spoken a single word. He remembered everything that Sato had said, though.

"Kaname! Greetings! I've come to thank you. It was due to your insistence on a murder trial that I got a promotion."

The swirl of fabric. Sato was spinning.

"You can't see this, but I have new robes. The uniform of an officer of the First Deployment Squad. My captain had to move me until this whole scandal blows over, but it's actually quite a prestigious appointment."

A laugh.

"You didn't really think that I was going to be imprisoned, did you? The whole thing was a show. I was worried that I was overacting - 'oh, please, don't put me in prison.' That was never going to happen. I am a Soul Reaper, a soldier in the most elite army in creation. I remember all that time you spent hitting on my wife. It must have killed you that you never got to sleep with her, huh? All that talk about philosophy. You're lucky that she took pity on you. She was a beautiful woman, and she'd never lower herself to spend time with a sad cripple like you if it weren't out of pity."

Tousen felt his knees give out. He fell to the ground.

"In all those conversations, you used to talk about justice. Well, it's time you learned what justice really is. Justice is whatever the strongest person wants to do. Soul Reapers don't kill hollows out of justice, or duty, or any noble reason. We do it because we can. We're the greatest, strongest, most powerful force in the universe, and if we lift a finger, we can topple a planet. That's justice."

Tousen gasped for air, but it seemed like there was none in the room.

"You're a blind peasant, and a fool. So let me enlighten you. In that last moment of Misoka's life, she learned what justice was. I was stronger than her, so I took her life. See that? You've learned that lesson easier than she did. For that, and for my promotion, I'll let you live. Something else can end your joke of a life."

Sato left.

/

Two miles outside the village, Sato arrived on schedule. He was greeted on the path by his former student instructor, Sosuke Aizen.

"Sempai! I did as you asked. I said exactly what you told me to."

"And Tousen's reaction?"

"Just what you expected. I think it might have killed him."

"Don't worry. He's strong. Couldn't you sense it? He has a great deal of spiritual power. It's just undeveloped."

"So you said that that would help us find my Misoka's killer. What do we do next?"

"You're not doubting me, are you, Sato?"

"No, no sir! And I'm grateful to you for arranging my reliease from prison. I just want to do whatever I can to apprehend the killer."

"I wouldn't worry. I'm sure the identity of the killer will soon reveal itself."

The two quietly walked along the barren path which led to Seireitei.

"Sensei, why did you have me say all those lies to Tousen, anyway? Wasn't there some other way? I mean, you must really hate him."

"Hate him? No, not at all. He and I are destined to have a long friendship together. I just needed him to change his outlook on things. Did I ever tell you about my zanpakuto? I suppose I haven't. It's quite interesting. It has a power I call "total hypnosis". I can control all five senses of anyone who has seen my shikai. However, Tousen would have been a problem. If he becomes a Soul Reaper, and with his power he'd be a successful one, I wouldn't have been able to control him. I could kill him now, but that would be wasteful. Instead I've turned him into something useful.

"You see, I can't fool him with illusions. He had to experience something real: face-to-face mockery from the man he believed killed his closest friend. That should be enough, don't you think, to turn him from his path of peace?"

Sato's hand slowly moved toward his blade. "You're…you're responsible for my wife's death, aren't you?"

Aizen smiled. "Me? Young man, you need to think more broadly than that. I was not simply your wife's killer. I was the stranger who introduced you two at the bar. I was the young boy who sold you roses and told you how lovely you looked together on your first date. I was the guard that unlatched the door of your cell for you, and I'm going to be the guard who finds you in your cell after your suicide."

Sato swung his sword at the form in front of him. The blade passed through without contact. He didn't expect to hit anything, but still it was a shock to actually see it happen. He struck again at Aizen's shape, then swung his zanpakuto in a circle around himself. Still no contact.

Aizen said, "ah, you wish to die in battle to honor your wife? I will grant you that favor. But still, for all of your nobility, I can tell that there's a part of you that has a selfish question. Go on - ask it."

Sato swung at the air again, grunting. Then he said, "why me? You chose Misoka to break Tousen's spirit, but why did you choose me?"

Aizen's form smiled warmly. "Thank you for asking. I wanted this insight to be the last thing you hear. Why did I choose you? For no reason at all. It could have been anyone."

Sato exploded in a spray of blood. He died before he hit the ground.

"You weren't even a pawn, Soul Reaper Tsuneo Sato", Aizen said to the fallen corpse. "You were a speck of dust on the chessboard."


End file.
